The Role of Behavior in Successful Leadership - Essay Example

Role of Behavior in Leadership Effective leadership is essential to the success of any organization. Leaders coordinate and manage staff members so that they can meet the main objective of the organization (Wright, 1996). Employers and organizations have realized the importance of good leaders. Consequently, they invest significantly to get the right leader. Common motivation skills and incentives have become expensive. Consequently, employers are looking for non-financial means to attain success and guarantee the future of the organization. The behavioral tendencies within an organization contribute towards success. Organizations are looking for leaders who have the appropriate behavior that contributes towards the growth and success of the company (Bennis, 1998). Leadership behavior is crucial in driving an organization's goals. It is important to note that such behavior must be ethical. Organizations have been encouraging ethical behavior in leaders as a response to scandals in media. Ethical behavior contributes to the conduct of workers. In the wake of many prominent institutional scandals, unethical behavior is widely publicized, castigated and eliminated (McGregor, 1960). Research and theory suggest that effective leaders should influence ethics in an organization. Understanding leadership behavior and skills enhance ethical behavior in any organization. It is important to highlight basic leadership behavior that a person should acquire (Wright, 1996). A team leader should be able to communicate effectively to empower the followers to act following the policies. Effective communication will help the members of the team to understand the set goal. The best approach while communicating with the team members is consultation. It entails active listening to members’ concerns and opinions. Ethical behavior in a leader also entails providing feedback (Bennis, 1998). Good leadership requires that a leader recognize the development needs of the members. The leader should identify and recognize the development desires of the members and formulate a process that ensures each member need is developed. Leaders have to set objectives and motivate the group to attain them. Effective leaders will set identifiable, achievable and clear goals. The leader will plan these objectives and observes the progress of the members against these objectives. Members of the team are to be encouraged to be innovative and creative when solving problems. According to Wright (1996), successful leadership calls for modeling acceptable behavior. In this case, the manager is supposed to act as a role model for the rest of the team. The situation is achievable when the leader demonstrates acceptable and ethical behavior. Role modeling is a vital aspect of the growth of individual members of the team. It acts as an example of the required behavior and performance. Leadership styles are ways through which leaders make use of their knowledge to lead their group (McGregor, 1960). Styles of leadership enable leaders to provide direction to their members. They further implement plans to achieve the desired outcomes and encourage their team to constantly obtain the best possible. The styles that are easy to model using a leader’s behavior include authoritarian, participative, democratic, delegative or free reign. Authoritarian, also referred to as autocratic allows a leader to develop a direct role (Bennis, 1998). Authoritarian behavior is effective when a leader is working with a new group or in the instances where a goal is required in a limited period. A democratic or participative team leader consults with the team when coming up with decisions. Democracy motivates members to use their abilities individually to achieve the set goal. Free reign leadership, also known as delegative allows the members to make decisions with less direction or input (Bennis, 1998). Delegative style is suitable for mature and highly skilled teams. Effective and successful leaders normally use a combination of these styles depending on the members and situations. Leaders need to be concerned about morality and ethical issues affecting the members. Unethical behavior can destroy the image of the company leading to the closure of the organization (McGregor, 1960). The common unethical behavior are sexual offenses, racism, workplace bullying, corruption, nepotism, and theft. Several cases such as the former IMF boss Dominique Strauss-Kahn, sexual offense affect the organization. Executive leaders are supposed to communicate the ethical levels of the organization. Rewards encourage good ethical behavior while punishments are necessary in cases of unethical behavior. Senior leaders influence the behavior of other employees. Organization executives are responsible for determining organization behavior (Wright, 1996). Institutional behavior highlights how groups and individuals relate to an organization. The types of behaviors within an environment undermine or bolster the success of a company. To enhance positive influence, leaders must assist others to understand the importance of good behavior. Consequently, every person involved in the institution will understand contribute towards organization success (Bennis, 1998). According to McGregor (1960), leaders exhibit two main categories of behaviors. The two behaviors are task-oriented and people-oriented. Task-oriented leadership involves organizing the responsibilities of subordinates, giving them instructions, and behaving in a manner that will improve the output of the team. These behaviors are orders given to the workers to ensure they handle their tasks and meets the target of the institution. People-oriented leadership behavior entails focusing on the feelings of the workers and treating them with respect. People-oriented leaders genuinely mind about the welfare of their teams. They exhibit their concern through decisions and actions. Other behaviors of an effective leader include the ability to learn business, the ability to set mission and vision, being able to set priorities and strategies. A great leader can be able to identify and hire great talent (Bennis, 1998). He or she can be instrumental in the creating of the organization culture. There is a need for an organization to ensure that they have effective leaders with the desired behavior. The trend has set a new approach in business and hiring professionals. Also, good leadership improves productivity because a suitable behavioral management style is adapted (McGregor, 1960). Researchers wish that behavior predicted the kind of leadership in all situations. It is unrealistic to state that a certain set of behaviors is appropriate in all circumstances. Leadership traits that make an accountant effective in his or her field might be very different from what makes a military officer successful and effective. A better approach to understanding the role of behavior in leadership is to specify the conditions when behaviors are effective. References Bennis, W. (1998) On Becoming a Leader, London: Arrow. McGregor, D. (1960). The Human Side of Enterprise, New York: McGraw Hill. Wright, P. (1996.) Managerial Leadership, London: Routledge. Read More